1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical control systems for appliances, and particularly to a control knob for stoves and ovens that combines a temperature control and a timer coupled with an automatic power shut-off feature into a single control knob assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditional oven and burner knobs have a timer and temperature control buttons or gas control buttons that operate separately and independently. If the user sets the time and the temperature or gas level, cooking will continue until the user intervenes, unless the oven or stove has an automatic shut off feature. Otherwise the oven or burner will continue supplying the heat, thereby posing a threat to human life. However, such control systems require using separate knobs, push buttons, or the like for setting the temperature and setting the timer. Digital controls that are not collocated are capable of timing and controlling ovens, but generally not capable of timing and controlling stoves, and the control for setting timing is separate from the control for setting temperature.
Thus, a control knob for stoves and ovens solving the aforementioned problems is desired.